February All-Access: Panthers Make Presence Felt in the Community

SUNRISE, FL – The Florida Panthers continued to be active in the South Florida community during a prolific February that included over 20 community appearances by Panthers players and team mascot Stanley C. Panther, and the Florida Panthers Foundation’s 2nd Annual Ice & Dice Casino Night presented by Publix Super Markets on Feb. 15 at the BankAtlantic Center.

The Ice & Dice Casino Night, the premier event of the Florida Panthers Foundation, raised over $150,000 for South Florida children’s charities and was co-presented by BankAtlantic, Lexus, the Miami Herald, Sziro Jewelers and Millennium Laser Eye Centers.

Meanwhile, Panthers personalities such as Captain Olli Jokinen, Assistant General Manager Randy Sexton, forward Nathan Horton, defenseman Mike Van Ryn, Assistant Coach Guy Charron as well as Stanley C. Panther, made appearances throughout the tri-county area including Longhorn Steakhouse in Hollywood, Doris Italian Market in Boca Raton and Coral Springs, Bally Total Fitness in Coral Springs and Dillard’s at the Broward Mall in Ft. Lauderdale.

All appearances are part of the Panthers All Access Program, which has put Cats players and personalities face-to-face with fans all season long.

“It is our ongoing mission to be the most active professional sports franchise in the South Florida community,” SSE chief operating officer Michael Yormark said. “We are on our way to achieving that goal through the sheer number of appearances we do, as well as the charitable community donations we make through wonderful events such as Ice & Dice.”

“Our Ice & Dice Casino Night presented by Publix Super Markets was more successful than we ever could have imagined,” said Panthers Foundation Executive Director Alaina Miller. “I’d like to thank our corporate partners for their generous support and our fans for their support of all of our initiatives, including Ice & Dice. Of course, the night would not have been possible without all of the Panthers players, their wives/girlfriends and our hockey operations staff. The Foundation is currently underway with plans for a mystery puck night on March 17 as well as the popular Shirts Off Our Backs auction, slated for April 1.”

Additionally in the month of February the Florida Panthers Foundation worked on initiatives including:• Working with the wives of the Florida Panthers to create uniquely decorated Valentine’s Day boxes and pink sticks to auction off before the Panthers took on the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 10.• The Florida Panthers Foundation continues to work with such players as Olli Jokinen, Mike Van Ryn, Chris Gratton and Ed Belfour in implementing their charity programs.

The Florida Panthers Foundation supported various charities in February by sponsoring the following events and making donations to the following organizations:• Concours D'elegance exotic car show in Boca Raton to benefit the Boys & Girls Club• Holy Cross Hospital• Cleveland Clinic• The Boy Scouts of America• Forgotten Soldier Outreach• The Compassionate Friends of Boca Raton

For more information about any of the player charities or the Panthers Foundation please contact Alaina Miller at (954) 835-7723 or millera@sselive.com.

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment is the premier company of its kind in South Florida. Home to more than 185 events annually and the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, the BankAtlantic Center is consistently a top 15 worldwide venue according to Pollstar. The BankAtlantic Center welcomes more than two million guests each year and is also the home of the Sinatra Theatre presented by BankAtlantic and three monthly South Florida publications: Live On Stage Credentials, Unrestricted and Panthers Insider.